Butterfly Birthday Party

For my daughter's 4 year old birthday, she wanted a Butterfly Party. This was such a fun theme to work with as butterflies are pretty easy to find and make. We had 7 little girls (ages 3-5) attending late in the afternoon on a school day, so that we could celebrate my daughter's birthday on the actual day. (Note: I had a horrible mishap with my camera just before and during the party and did not get all the pictures I thought I had so I could show you all, so I will do my best to describe what it all looked like.)

The Party Invitation:

I made the invitations by printing off the wording on white paper (4 invites to one 8.5x11 page), then cut it out with a fun edged scissors. Then glued it on a pretty piece of purple paper and finishing it off with a little foam butterfly in the corner. I bought some bulk yellow envelopes for the invites and matching ones for the thank you notes.

The invitation read:

"Flutter on over to celebrate (child's name) turning 4 at her Butterfly Birthday Party"

When: (date and time)

Where: (child's name) Indoor Flower Garden

"Please dress in brightly colored clothes as we will be transforming from cute little caterpillars into beautiful butterflies in just 2 hours!"

RSVP to (child's name)'s mum (mom's name).

Decorations:

The main decorations that I used were these tissue paper butterflies.

I hung them from the ceiling in the main party area, over the party table, in the front entry of the house, stuck them on the chairs at the party table and all over the walls.

I also utilized the Happy Birthday banner I made last year for her princess party since the colors were the same. I also had pink and purple balloons left over from last year that I put a few up to add some more color. I also bought some pink, purple and yellow tempura paint to flowers on some old packing paper I had left over. I cut them out and clustered them around on the windows. I wanted to just paint directly on the windows which you can do by adding tempura paint to liquid dish soap (like they do for big window displays), but since it was going to be dark outside for most of the party I didn't know how well they would show up.

On the party table, I used an off white table cloth and utilized pink and purple 2'x2' squares to stagger in the middle. I bought bright yellow plates and cups and some pretty white napkins that had pink butterflies all over them. I also had some bright pink bendy straws left over from last year to put in the cups. The center piece on the table was a tiered cupcake tray with yellow and pink decorated cupcakes with loads of sprinkles on them. On either side of the cupcakes were two light green vases filled with huge bouquets of pink roses. Then trays of butterfly cookies and candies graced other tiered trays.

The Party Games and Activities:

When the girls showed up we started out by making our own party bags. I had little paper lunch sacks, a big container of foam butterflies, flowers, and dragonflies, markers and crayons all set out on a butterfly blanket on the floor.

When they got done with they could get their antennae headbands and could get their nails painted with glittery nail polish and then put on some lipstick and blush to get all prettied up.

Next we ready the book, The Hungry Little Caterpillar and talked about how caterpillars eat lots and lots then hide out in a cocoon until they come out and are transformed into beautiful butterflies. As I was ready the book I had loads of snacks sitting out like, apples slices, strawberries, blue berries, chips (crisps in UK), and pretzels for them to snack on. After the little caterpillars ate all their goodies it was time to turn them into little cocoons. I broke them up into two teams and they helped wrapping each other up in toilet paper. They had loads of fun doing that.

After they broke out of their "chrysalis" they got to pick out their butterfly wings. Come see how I made them with cardstock, paint, and elastic cording!

After the little butterflies gained their wings we played musical flowers. I had cut out large flowers out of construction paper and laid them out all around the floor. I had them flutter about the room and when the music stopped they had to hop onto a flower. The one that was "out" got to come pick a "flower pop" to enjoy while the rest finished out the game.

While they enjoyed their "flower pops" we played, pin the butterfly on the flower. I made this flower out of a big piece of card stock and used construction paper to make the butterfly cutouts.

Next we sat down to eat at the table. We had our goodies, sang happy birthday, and after some free play time they girls got to watch my daughter open her birthday presents.

When the girls got ready to go home, my daughter gave them each a little butterfly box with their monogrammed initial on the top and had a little candy necklace inside.

We also made them butterfly cookie pops to bring home as well.

The Party Food:

I made butterfly shaped mini pizzas ahead of time and froze them so that on the day I could just pop them in the oven. Simply buy a pizza crust or bread dough mix, make it as directed, roll out the dough and cut out the shape you desire. Lay on waxed paper, put on layer of pizza sauce, other toppings you want and then cheese. Set in freezer until almost frozen then layer in container with waxed paper between them in the freezer until you are ready to use the. Bake at 400 F/200C for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

These triple chocolate pretzel stick butterflies were a big hit.

Other butterfly-themed food included these mini butterfly sugar cookies.

And of course the butterfly birthday cake!!!!

I also served little platters of cut up fruit and vegetables and served the standard orange and black current squash that our little British friends love and enjoy. For the parents that were staying around or early to pick up, I made up a turkey/cranberry ring to cut up and enjoy.

I had a huge help at the party from my husband and especially my two neighbor girls and I think you so much! My daughter had a lovely party and was one tired little butterfly that night!